


quarterstaffs or quarterstaves?

by rivainitea



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Multi, Recreational Drug Use, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:20:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23659765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivainitea/pseuds/rivainitea
Summary: Samir takes it easy. That's it.
Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Male Warden, Zevran Arainai/Dorian Pavus/Male Warden, Zevran Arainai/Male Mahariel, Zevran Arainai/Male Warden
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	quarterstaffs or quarterstaves?

**Author's Note:**

> this is, as always, purely self indulgent cause i just finished tevinter nights and apparently antivans get high by sprinkling some sort of herb on lamps? its wild i love them!! they never actually tell what herb it is so i am simply calling it A Herb(tm).

“One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three--” Maria Gabriella was cut off by her own motions as she literally swept Samir off his feet, landing on his back, his quarterstaff flying away and then being pulled back by Gabriella’s magic. Samir groaned in light pain as he got back up, his mother throwing his quarterstaff back to him, a simple movement that said  _ You’re not stopping yet.  _

“You leave an opening whenever you swing, your stance is not stable enough. It’s different from when you use a dagger. Why is that?” Gabriella asked, going back to her initial neutral pose, her quarterstaff held firmly by her wrinkled hands. 

_ We’re talking AND fighting now? _

He gripped the quarterstaff just like his mother did, maybe just with less confidence. It wasn’t a matter of being ashamed, embarrassed or anything of the sort. He was used to training in open ground, usually people would stop by and watch the Hero of Ferelden, and now, the Inquisitor, practice in the Skyhold courtyard or the random streets of Denerim or Antiva City. His lovers’ gaze upon him didn’t bother him either. It was nice knowing they were there. 

The only problem was his back. His nerves connecting his arms to his back had been severely damaged from the Arch-demon fight, (according to him, it was harder than fighting Corypheus AND his dragon) leaving his hands shaking most of the time, sometimes not being able to move properly in the morning due to sharp, annoying strikes of pain in his back. 

He already had a prosthetic arm for his right one. With his muscles damaged, the Anchor and then Solas, he had to get a replacement for his whole arm instead of only slightly above the elbow. But he didn’t want another prosthetic just for his left arm, no matter how much Dorian insisted it would be fine, that he and Zevran would still love him and find him extremely charming no matter what. But it wasn’t about that, at least for the most part. He didn’t really know what bothered him so much about possibly having two prosthetic arms. 

“Ending the fifth Blight, ya’ know? You don’t end a Blight by simply surviving it. You gotta kill the big dragon. Which I did, by the way!” Samir replied with words and a jump, his quarterstaff firmly placed on the ground as he propelled himself to jump over his mother, and she quickly noted the muscles on his arm flexing erratically.  _ It’s dangerous,  _ She thought. Not just because it obviously was a setback during a fight, but because it was clearly painful to her son. She was a Lord of Fortune, and she was trained to notice these small details about her opponents, but this was her son, one she only raised for 10 years of his life. 

After Samir was kidnapped by the Felicisima Armada and Clan Sabrae’s hunters saved him, Gabriella decided it was safer for him to live with the Dalish. Not because Rivain was unsafe, most of the time it was a huge community who wouldn’t hesitate to defend a small elven child, but because she realized it was a noble path to walk. Besides, she’d come back to him. She hoped so, at least.

“Has no healing work helped at all?” Channeling her energy directly from the Fade, she pulled two small orbs of rocks and dirt, and threw them to her right as she distanced herself from Samir, only to see him pull the orbs under his control and send them to her direction, which she blocked with her quarterstaff, the orbs falling on the ground and joining the soil once more.

“Not much. I get some sheets infused with elfroot and arbor blessing when the pain is too strong, and let my arm absorb the effects, but they’re all--” He paused, holding his breath as he slammed his quarterstaff on the floor with energy flowing through it, causing the ground to shake around them, Gabriella then losing her balance for a few seconds. Samir striked just below her ribs, draining her energy with the hit of his arcane focus against her body. “They’re all temporary reliefs.” 

“I assume once this is over with,” She charged the weapon in her hands with frost, “You’ll take better care of yourself, right,  _ figlio _ ?” And swung to his left, which he was quick to parry, grunting with the pressure applied to his arm, visibly shaking. Zevran furrowed his brows as he watched, sharing some bread and butter with Dorian. 

“Maybe,” Breathless, he wanted to give up. It truly seemed like he knew nothing about fighting at all, but the truth was simply that he had woken up not much more than 20 minutes ago. Gabriella was, however, a stubborn woman, and would not be stopped by a prideful, hotheaded, foolish ancient mage, or her son. “Can we take a break?” He felt no shame in asking for a break or for help now, the taint in his blood flowing clearly, a mix of navy blue, lilac and dark red, under the thin, scarred skin on his left arm. 

Gabriella stopped, thought for a second, and then stepped back.  _ Life is unfair, mio angelo. I can’t afford to let you make a mistake because you are used to my kindness.  _

She sighed. Maybe she could, just for today. 

“Alright. I hate when you give me those puppy eyes.” The woman joked as she strapped her quarterstaff to her back, nodding to her son, which simply meant  _ Take care, get yourself something to eat, get water, I love you. _ And it was okay. He knew.

As he walked to the local tavern, Samir completely forgot about the two men that watched him, or rather, that adored and admired him from not-so-afar, and was rather surprised when Dorian pulled him into a kiss, Zevran soon joining in. It was difficult at first for Dorian to get used to “polyamorous kisses”, as Zevran called it, but he could do it now without so many stumbles. Samir thought he was getting quite good at it as well. 

“Mhmf, I’m- I’m sweaty. Don’t wanna ruin your outfit with sweat, yeah?”

“Sure, but you’re also in pain, so I care more about your body than my own looks and glamour.” Dorian replied, a clearly concerned look on his face, one that also worried Samir, but also made him happy to know that people care about him. 

“The dwarf, what’s his name again? Tethras?” A nod. “He just shipped some of the lamp herb you enjoy,  _ amor.  _ I thought maybe we could spend some time together after your training.” Zevran said, with an easy smile, sliding his hands up and down Samir’s arms, trying to ease out the stress in his body. 

“I have… Experimented with many substances, but this one is new to me. I’d like to try it, if that is okay with both of you.” 

“‘Course it is. I’m not the only one who needs to rest, I’m sure.” Samir planted a small kiss on Dorian’s lips, giving him no time to say something witty back, as they walked to the woods, not far enough to get lost. No one would really care if they smelled something herbal coming from there, of course. 

As they sat down beside a tree trunk lying horizontally on the ground, Zevran sprinkled the herbs on top of the lamp, the flame lit by Dorian now flickering a bit. It wasn’t long before the aroma spread around, their muscles not so tense anymore, Zevran working on a massage on Samir, while Dorian hugged him close.

“You are almost restraining my arms,  _ caro mio _ . If you wish to do so later, I have no objections. But out in the open? I didn’t know you liked such things.” Zevran joked lightly, only to feel Dorian’s arms around him tighten. 

“You’re impossible. No, actually, you’re far too easy.” 

“That I am! It’s true. I am simply yearning to be loved. Is that so bad?”

“Not at all.” Dorian rested his head on Zevran’s shoulders, feeling not much will in his body to do anything but doze off, the blonde elf in front of him almost purring at the touch.


End file.
